Vonn wins Olympic downhill

Vonn overcomes injury to capture downhill

Published 4:00 am, Thursday, February 18, 2010

A week ago Wednesday, a distraught-sounding Lindsey Vonn wasn't even sure she could compete in the Winter Olympics because of a badly bruised shin.

But now Vonn has won the women's downhill for her first Olympic gold medal - the first of several she's expected to claim at these Winter Games.

It was part of a huge day for the Americans, who earned six medals, tying a Winter Olympics record for medals in a day by a country. The three golds the Americans earned Wednesday tied the American record for a day at the Winter Games.

Beating teammate Julia Mancuso of Olympic Valley (Placer County) by just over half a second on a treacherous course that sent two skiers to the hospital and several others sprawling, Vonn became the first American woman to conquer the Olympic downhill.

"It was definitely a challenge for me to make it down," the 25-year-old Vonn said, admitting the contusion caused her far more discomfort than the brilliance of her performance would indicate. "It was the most sore yesterday and today, after my training run (Monday). But I was focused and determined.

"When I made it through the last jump, I was thinking, 'I hope I did it, I hope I did it.' When I saw my name in first (place) ... it was the best feeling of my life."

Lindsey Vonn of the United States reacts in the finish area after completing the Women's downhill at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics in Whistler, British Columbia, Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2010.

Lindsey Vonn of the United States reacts in the finish area after completing the Women's downhill at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics in Whistler, British Columbia, Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2010.

Photo: Gero Breloer, AP

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WHISTLER, BC - FEBRUARY 17: Julia Mancuso (L) of the United States celebrates winning silver and Lindsey Vonn of the United States gold during the flower ceremony for the Alpine Skiing Ladies Downhill on day 6 of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics at Whistler Creekside on February 17, 2010 in Whistler, Canada. less

WHISTLER, BC - FEBRUARY 17: Julia Mancuso (L) of the United States celebrates winning silver and Lindsey Vonn of the United States gold during the flower ceremony for the Alpine Skiing Ladies Downhill on day 6 ... more

Photo: Clive Mason, Getty Images

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WHISTLER, BC - FEBRUARY 17: Lindsey Vonn of the United States celebrates winning the gold medal during the flower ceremony for the Alpine Skiing Ladies Downhill on day 6 of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics at Whistler Creekside on February 17, 2010 inWhistler, Canada. less

WHISTLER, BC - FEBRUARY 17: Lindsey Vonn of the United States celebrates winning the gold medal during the flower ceremony for the Alpine Skiing Ladies Downhill on day 6 of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics ... more

Photo: Clive Mason, Getty Images

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WHISTLER, BC - FEBRUARY 17: Lindsey Vonn of the United States competes during the Alpine Skiing Ladies Downhill on day 6 of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics at Whistler Creekside on February 17, 2010 in Whistler, Canada. less

WHISTLER, BC - FEBRUARY 17: Lindsey Vonn of the United States competes during the Alpine Skiing Ladies Downhill on day 6 of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics at Whistler Creekside on February 17, 2010 in ... more

Photo: Clive Rose, Getty Images

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Lindsey Vonn of the United States, shows the gold medal she won in the Women's downhill, during the medal ceremony at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics in Whistler, British Columbia, Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2010.

Lindsey Vonn of the United States, shows the gold medal she won in the Women's downhill, during the medal ceremony at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics in Whistler, British Columbia, Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2010.

Photo: Luca Bruno, AP

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Lindsey Vonn of the United States is airborne during the Women's downhill, at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics in Whistler, British Columbia, Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2010.

Lindsey Vonn of the United States is airborne during the Women's downhill, at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics in Whistler, British Columbia, Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2010.

Photo: Luca Bruno, AP

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Lindsey Vonn of the United States reacts in the finish area after completing the Women's downhill at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics in Whistler, British Columbia, Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2010.

Lindsey Vonn of the United States reacts in the finish area after completing the Women's downhill at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics in Whistler, British Columbia, Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2010.

Photo: Sergey Ponomarev, AP

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Vonn wins Olympic downhill

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Vonn has four events remaining, starting with today's super combined. With its downhill component, she's well positioned to become the first U.S. skier to collect a second gold. However, whatever happens, she thinks she's playing with house money.

"The pressure ... is gone," Vonn said. "I came here and got exactly what I wanted. I have a lot of weight off my shoulders. I can ski confidently."

Vonn, if not for her injury, sustained in a slalom training run mishap Feb. 2, would have been considered a prohibitive favorite the moment she blew off the start line at the top of Whistler Mountain's nerve-frazzling Franz's Run.

But at a news conference last week, Vonn expressed considerable consternation about her prospects. She couldn't even wear a ski boot, she said, without "excruciating pain."

She caught a major break, though, when Whistler's capricious weather forced the postponement of the first scheduled women's event, the super combined, to have been held Sunday. The extra rest combined with multiple therapeutic techniques, from lasers to numbing cream to a special anti-swelling "cheese," eventually made skiing on the leg at least bearable.

"I lucked out," she said, admitting: "I was depressed and sad and hoping my Olympic dream was still alive. But I hunkered down and got all the therapy that was possible. It wasn't the best preparation, but I won my medal. I've worked my whole life for this."

Vonn termed her trip down the hillside "an aggressive run, but it wasn't a perfect run. I made some mistakes, especially at the top." Significantly, she nailed that final frightening jump, one that proved so problematic that course workers were going to labor through the night to make it less daunting for the super combined.

Training runs Monday had only added to her stress because the bumpy, jarring surface made for an extremely painful day of skiing.

She prevailed in Wednesday's race with a time of 1 minute, 44.19 seconds to Mancuso's 1:44.75. The bronze went to Austrian Elisabeth Goergl, who finished in 1:45:65.

"It's pretty incredible to have Lindsey first and me second," Mancuso said.

Vonn's injury-induced angst notwithstanding, Mancuso's silver may have been the bigger surprise. While Vonn has dominated the World Cup season with five victories in six downhill starts, Mancuso is only ninth in the standings. She hadn't won a downhill anywhere since 2007.

While Vonn screamed and pumped her fists after finishing, Mancuso had earlier shed tears of joy at the completion of her run.

Five-time Olympic medalist Anja Paerson of Sweden and an unheralded Romanian, Edith Miklos, had to be taken by helicopter to the hospital.